SkinnyDown

Refried Beans and cheese are great. I haven't braved taco sauce yet. Cottage Cheese is a great standby which is high in Protein. Corned Beef Hash Tuna, Ham, Egg, or chicken salad I can only eat such a small portion, that I've noticed I tend to repeat meals, which suits me fine, but that might get boring to some people, after awhile.

I loved Water pre-surgery. I changed my PUR water filter a week or so before surgery I was loving it. Hated the taste of water in hospital, hate the taste of water at home. Ice I don't mind so much. I am now trying different bottled waters, to see how that goes. Yesterday I finally reached my Fluid goal for the first time since surgery (3 weeks ago). Thank goodness through this time I have retained a lot of water, so I know I'm not dehydrated, but that's not going to last forever. I see my legs/ankles shrinking every day. I am finding tea helps. Flavored drops in the water help somewhat.....it makes me a little sad, because I was such a huge water drinker before. Hoping this improves. Def. not getting the food in I am supposed to, have to stay on top of these liquids. One big difference is sipping vs. straw. I think I'm missing how I used to drink my water, and it's quite possible it just went down my throat rather than tasting it too much. That's all I can think. But no straws now. So I dunno what to do. LOL

I'm so sorry to hear this. This must be so frustrating for you. It's also an emotional time too after surgery. I hope with trial and error you can find foods that you do like. Hang in there. I am not eating nearly close to what I am supposed to. Everything tastes different. I can't stand the taste of Water, and I loved water before. I'm searching for maybe the right bottled water. I have a filter on my tap at home, and I LOVED it prior to surgery. Tea I have found most comforting. I continue to try to get all my fluids in, but I truly sympathize. I don't have any hunger anymore so I have to force myself to eat. Quite different from me pre-surgery. So I get what you are saying. Hopefully with time, things will change. Keep us updated.

@@jane13 Thanks so much! That was really helpful to me. I won't sweat it, I don't feel weird or weak or anything. I walked two hours yesterday and feel good, better than I have in a long long time. I focus on the fluids first, that's the most important thing. I like the part about 20 minutes, cuz sometimes my food is cold and I'm still working on it after 30, and just feel stuffed. It's like I'm literally force feeding myself and I don't like that idea or feeling. Thanks again, you helped a lot!

I wore the gowns, I figured, why dirty up my own clothing, if I can avoid it. I brought my own underwear, so as soon as the catheter was removed, on went the panties. I felt more comfortable then. Not so exposed. I fashioned a robe out of another gown. and tied up the ends in a knot so I wouldn't trip, because evidently if you are big, you must also be tall? LOL It all worked out, fine. I wish you all the luck, I know it's scary right now because you don't know what will happen, but we are here, ask us anything, we'll tell you! It's very normal for you to be running the gamut of emotions you are too. Just so you know you're fine!

OK this is crazy, but today I got on the scale, and down 1 lb. LOL After complaining about stalling, which I did for a few days, but who knows if this is going to continue or not. Anyone's guess. I'll just have to wait it out and see.

I have no real interest in food. I haven't experienced hunger since surgery. In fact I kind of dread eating. I don't like how full it makes me feel. Heck, I don't even like pill time, that fills me up too. I know I'm only 3 weeks out and maybe that's normal, but I read about others who had surgery around same time as me and they are hungry. What's the difference? I am baffled by this. I have to remind myself to eat, and I don't care if that's the new normal for me, it seems to me, that's how it should be. Those serious hunger triggers I used to feel are just gone. My blood sugar is stable, I eat twice a day, by force, and that's all I can do right now. Maybe in future I can do more. I'm lucky to get my fluids in, yesterday was the first day I met goal with fluids since surgery. WOOT! I'm glad I'm not alone in these feelings.

I'm in the same boat. I lost 23 lbs fast. I'm at week 3 post surgery today, and I've stalled for 4 days at 299lbs. LOL Well, at least the scale is not going up. 44 lbs total lost, but I can feel it, people are already seeing a change in me, so I'll take those compliments and hope that scale moves soon! I'm not eating all I am supposed to be, I just can't seem to get in all my Protein yet. Fluids are eh, almost there. I just keep trying. Good luck to all the stallers out there. We'll get through it! I think I understand the science behind it....which helps, but doesn't mean I like it. LOL

I'll be honest with you, because I think you may need to consider this. Therapy. If you have serious issues with food I think it's very beneficial to sort that out before you make drastic changes that might not work for you if you don't deal with your food issues. I worked for almost a year, with a therapist before I had my surgery, because I knew I had serious issues with food addiction. I have had these issues for years. Trying to fill up some empty hole inside me, and it never worked. Using fat as protection. Deep seated issues there. I had to get serious about why I ate, what I ate, the amount I ate,...etc. I especially had serious issues with sugar. Sweets, anything I could get my hands on. Therapy got me into the right mindset to have surgery. I had all my little "food funerals" before my pre-op 10 day liquid diet. I was terribly disappointed with all the foods I thought were so important to me. Cupcakes and donuts and creme horns....on and on and on....and none of it mattered. All of it was garbage, and I finally admitted that. That's when I knew I was ready. 3 weeks out, and I haven't been hungry once, not sure if that will go away eventually or not, but all I know is I'm struggling to get half the Protein in I'm supposed to. I can only eat 1/4 C. of anything and am filled to the gills! Luckily I'm getting nearly all my liquids in. Still, it's work. Little afraid what my NUT is going say, about my little intake of food. I went grocery shopping today, about to forge into soft foods, and I passed ALL those things up I used to load up my cart with, and what a great feeling to see my grocery cart today, and know that everything I am about to put in me, is actually good for me. For now, I'm eating only because I have to. That's the strangest feeling to me. But I'm loving it. I wish you much luck, on your journey.

There was a cottage cheese and banana diet..... I still love both. I don't think I lost anything on that diet, or it didn't last long. I've done low fat and also low carbs. Those diets I managed to lose about 100 lbs each on, but gained it all back and more when I returned to my "normal" eating. I can say I prefer high protein/low carbs, which fits in perfectly with what I'm doing now.

No answers to this yet? I love to voice, and would love to host a discussion group online. I'm a longterm member of Second Life, and would be willing and able to host in that virtual world, a voice discussion group. I already run open mics twice a week in that virtual world. Something to think about. If there are any other SL members here, contact me, we can meet up in world! Or if anyone is interested or has other ideas of starting a voice discussion group, speak up!

Congratulations! It feels great, I know! The same happened to me. I was off all my diabetes meds (Glucophage, Glipizide, Lantus and Humalog) by the time I left the hospital a week after surgery. My blood sugars remain stable and range from 90 -115 now. Feels good getting rid of all those medications, and I had to do minimum 4 injections daily.

The biggest thing that I look for, and am attracted to is confidence. If a man lacks it, two things are going to happen. 1. I'm probably not going to be that interested 2. If I still happen to like the person, I'll take charge, as I am a naturally dominant woman. That's just who I am. I love Alpha males. Not the chest beaters, those guys are really beta males trying to convince you they are Alphas. A true Alpha male (imo) is a man who knows how to create his own space. He is in control of himself, and his emotions. He is never desperate or needy. He is not the guy going around from table to table at a club looking for a woman. An Alpha male is the guy sitting alone, comfortable in his own skin, enjoying himself...he always draws the women to him. He is neither controlling or overly dominant, because he has total control of himself. He is not insecure or jealous either. Now that's exactly what I want. That kind of man, I feel safe with. Which for me, is very high on my list of needs, where a mate is concerned. The smell thing....maybe I'm different, more animalistic, or primal, but I don't mind a little musk on my men. I like to be able to smell their natural body odor. I do not mean rank. But I don't need a soapy smelling apple/pomegranate in bed. You mask your true scent, and that's what makes me want a man more...his true scent. Very good questions @@OKCPirate Uh oh, sorry I thought these questions were geared towards women, looks like I'm in the wrong room. Carry on with your discussion.

Well one thing I keep telling myself when I know I am not getting enough nutrition into me, is that I'm not going to waste away any time soon. I'm pretty sure I could sustain for quite some time. LOL I had a hard liquids day. I have to be more diligent in getting those liquids in. I am still about 10 oz. shy daily. I'm taking in about half the Protein I should be. I just keep working on it. I have no hunger, or nothing in me that triggers the need to eat anymore. I'm amazed at how this has changed my life already. No hunger. Do you know how cool that is? LOL I don't know how long this will last, I'd be happy if it were the rest of my life. I eat only because I am reminded I have to.

@@danne3 I think all those feelings and more are normal. You'll go through a whole slew of emotions and feelings through the process. I guess I'm just trying to say you are not alone. Talking helps. Being on the other side of it, now, I wish I would have been more at peace, than stressed. I think it would have helped my healing more.

There are low and no carb breads out there. Julian Bakery comes to mind. http://www.julianbakery.com/

I was feeling so bad at first too. It took me about 2 weeks to really start to feel like I might actually survive. Hang in there, it's going to get better. I still can only get in about half my Protein, and luckily nearly all the liquids I'm supposed to. I haven't had real hunger though either, so I can't imagine if someone is hungry and just not able to eat. I've dealt with much more nausea than I care to even mention. Keep hydrated, that's most important. Everything else will happen in it's time.

Still waiting. I'm guessing it's not 2 weeks and 2 days out from surgery. LOL I feel I have a long way to feel whatever feels GREAT again, hell, even good! I'm holding my own, but I still feel pretty fragile, to me. Great question, @RuxieGirl

I'm sorry to hear this. I know what a hassle this is from past surgeries. This is not a fun process to go through. Stay strong, and remember this too shall pass. I know that's hard right now, being in the middle of it. I developed an infection to one of my port sites during my stay at the hospital. I am still draining. dressing changes twice a day. Positive thoughts sent your way!

I'm curious if people are using their own scales for their weigh-ins, or if they are only going by what the scale says at the clinic when you have "official" weigh-ins? My scale says the same thing it does at the Dr.'s office. I've checked it a few times. If that is the case, I just lost another 9 lbs! that's 19 lbs in two weeks. I'm not always going to have the Dr. office to weigh me. I guess I'm just going to start using my own scale. What do you do?

Thanks for the responses! I think I should do a weekly weigh in at home based on all I have read. Just out of curiosity of course, I got back on the scale today, and I'm down 2 more lbs!!!! My Dr. told me I'd be losing a lb or more a day, I guess he wasn't kidding. I'm just staring at the scale in disbelief. But I can't deny not only the numbers, but how loose clothes are getting already on my body. The best test is the underwear test, for me. If they are sagging, you know you're losing. LOL Thanks again for all the responses!

I think it's very normal, in fact it should be part of the experience in some form or other, as a tool to keep you from eating too much. My sense of hunger left the moment I woke up from surgery. I'm two weeks post-op and I haven't felt hunger since the surgery. It's the oddest thing for me, and I have to remind myself to eat. Nothing triggers my hunger either. I can smell food, be around it. See alllllll the things in the store I used to NEED. No longer. I also am very sensitive now to sweet tasting things. For instance, I used to put 8 packets of splenda in my tea cup, yes I know that's a lot, but that's how much I required before, to feel it was sufficiently sweet. I put two packets in same cup now and it's plenty sweet. Amazing what this surgery can do. My Surgeon basically said he disconnected me from the hormone Ghrelin which was making me hungry. I feel this lack of hunger thing is helping me out that much more. But it sure feels odd to be like this.

Well it was a little early, by a few days, but the good news is, I am doing much better than I thought. What a relief, talking to my Surgeon, getting reassured, and getting my questions answered! He made me feel a million times better. I lost 10 lbs since I've been home, last Wednesday. My infection is doing great, he took me off the antibiotics which should alleviate my nausea and diarrhea. THANK GOODNESS!!! He prescribed Activia daily for me. To get my colon back in working order after these harsh antibiotics. I was glad to find no sugar added varieties. My blood sugars have been so good, he took me off ALL my Diabetes meds. I stopped them myself at home, because my numbers were getting so low. No more Metformin, Glipizide, Humalog or Lantus! In his own words: " Your diabetes just left the building." I can hardly believe it myself. I had my Lasix reduced from 80 mg daily to 20mg daily. I had my metoprolol dosage cut in half I was cleared to start pureed diet when I feel comfortable in the next few days, and start my vitamins/supplements, which I purchased today at the pharmacy. All in all, it looks like I am seriously on the mend. I was so glad to get my questions answered, and I feel a world of better now. I have some peace of mind, he told me I was almost out of the woods as far as leaks, and generally the only thing now that would hurt me is a trip to a buffet. LOL I gotta' say....food is the last thing I want. I'm just not interested in it. I eat because I have to, not because I am hungry all the time. Huge change for me. Well...I just wanted to share this with you. Because I was kinda' worried beyond reason, and had to share all the very good news. I'm 12 lbs away from being in the 200's! I can't wait! Hope restored!

@@Djmohr Thanks so much for your words. Yes, it's excellent news, I agree. I am glad I made the right choice by stopping the rest of my diabetes meds on my own. I was given an honorary degree by my Surgeon for that move, yesterday. But he did caution me, if my sugars go up, I need to consult someone with a real degree, about resuming any meds. LOL!